37-117A. REPORTING AND DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT RELATED ADULTERATION OR MISAPPROPRIATION OF CERTAIN DRUGS. (1) When the employment of a health care provider has been terminated, either voluntarily or involuntarily, for adulteration or misappropriation of controlled substances, as defined in chapter 27, title 37, Idaho Code, the employer shall, within thirty (30) days of the termination, furnish written notice of the termination, described herein as "notice of termination," to the health care provider’s professional licensing board of the state of Idaho, which shall include a description of the controlled substance adulteration or misappropriation involved in the termination. An employer who in good faith provides such information shall not be held civilly liable for the disclosure or the consequences of providing the information. There is a rebuttable presumption that an employer is acting in good faith when the employer provides such information. The presumption of good faith is overcome only upon showing by clear and convincing evidence that the employer disclosed the information with actual malice or with deliberate intent to mislead. For the purposes of this section, "actual malice" means knowledge that the information was false or given with reckless disregard of whether the information was false. For the purposes of this section, the term "health care provider" means any person licensed by a professional licensing board of the state of Idaho whose license permits the health care provider to dispense or administer controlled substances. For the purposes of this section, "employer" means a person or entity licensed under chapter 18, title 54, Idaho Code, or chapter 13, title 39, Idaho Code, who employs a health care provider or providers.

(2) A professional licensing board that receives a notice of termination from an employer pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall maintain the notice of termination for the health care provider. The notice of termination shall be subject to disclosure in accordance with the provisions of subsection (3) of this section.

(3) Any prospective employer of a health care provider shall, before hiring such health care provider, request in writing that the health care provider’s professional licensing board furnish the prospective employer any notice of termination maintained by the board with respect to the health care provider. The prospective employer shall maintain the confidentiality of such information and shall not disclose it to any other person or entity without the prior written approval of the health care provider or as required by law, court order or the rules of civil procedure. The professional licensing board shall require, as a condition of furnishing the notice of termination, that the prospective employer file a written request for the health care provider’s notice of termination, stating under oath that the request for the notice of termination is made for a bona fide hiring purpose, that the request is made pursuant to the provisions of this section, and that the prospective employer will not disclose the information to any other person or entity without the prior written approval of the health care provider or as required by law, court order or rules of civil procedure. In the event that the prospective employer discloses the information in the notice of termination to any other person or entity in violation of the provisions of this section, and unless the disclosure is required by law, court order or the rules of civil procedure, the health care provider may pursue a civil cause of action against the prospective employer for a breach of the health care provider’s right of privacy. Upon receipt of a request made in accordance with this section for a health care provider’s notice of termination, the professional licensing board shall furnish the notice of termination to the prospective employer. The professional licensing board shall not be held liable for the correctness or completeness of the information contained in the notice of termination and shall include a disclaimer statement on all released information, attesting that the information has not been verified by the professional licensing board. An employer who obtains a notice of termination from the appropriate professional licensing board as provided in this section shall not be held civilly liable for hiring or contracting with a health care provider who the employer in good faith believes has been rehabilitated from drug abuse, absent the employer’s gross negligence or reckless conduct.

(4) Notices of termination submitted hereunder shall be maintained and available to employers as set forth above for fifteen (15) years from the date of receipt by the professional licensing board.

History:

[37-117A, added 2004, ch. 333, sec. 1, p. 993.]